M61 Desalination of Seawater (AWWA Manual)

The use of seawater desalination is an increasingly sought after alternative for new drinking water supplies in coastal areas, particularly as desalination becomes more economical. This new manual of practice parlays lessons learned from recent studies and global seawater desalination projects into guidance for desalination facilities that are reliable, economical, and environmentally sound. This new manual is specifically designed to help water utility managers and design engineers understand desalination-the technologies, the infrastructure, and the costs-to make informed decisions from planning through treatment plant construction. It explains environmental and ecological impacts of desalination plants, seawater intakes, and the disposal of concentrate discharges back into the ocean. Chapters describe the minerals and other constituents that determine source water quality and, therefore, treatment approaches.